Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (CMBG) has decided to bring back its innovative Summer Camp Club for a second season. In a year when many in-person summer camps are still on hiatus, the self-guided program maintains the spirit of independence and nature-discovery CMBG summer camps are known for. “It was such a success last year,” says Erika Huber, Youth & Family Program Manager, “that we wanted to offer it again, give kids another safe and memorable summer at the Gardens.”

Participating campers receive four or eight full weeks of self-guided summer camp experiences, taking place both at the Gardens and at home. In session one, “Animal Kingdom,” those experiences explore the relationships between the flora and fauna of Maine. Session two, “Minibeasts,” covers insects and other invertebrates.

Session activities will be self-guided and take place both at the Gardens and at campers’ homes. Clues for scavenger hunts, themed activities and games, experiments, art projects, and recipes made with ingredients harvested at the Gardens are just a few of the activities on offer. Campers will also be invited to attend theme-based, small-group outdoor learning sessions with Education staff throughout the summer.

“Camp” begins the week of June 28, and participants will pick up their first activities at the Gardens’ Visitor Center. After that, new activities and supplies will be available each week. If participants need more flexibility, they can choose different start dates, pick up multiple weeks’ activities, or condense the program into fewer weeks. “Families have told us how much they love the flexible program and the fact that it’s filled with different adventures every week to do with their kids,” Huber adds.

Each camper will receive a special bag to keep filled with tools for investigation and discovery as well as a camp hat, and campers who sign up for both camp sessions will receive bonus supplies. Those families who participated last year and do not need another camp bag can receive a $5.00 discount when registering; families signing up for both sessions will receive a 15% discount at checkout.

The $80 registration per session does not include admission to the Gardens. However, by signing up for the CMBG Summer Camp Club, participants are eligible to receive a 50% discount on a family membership, which allows for unlimited complementary visits to the Gardens. Lincoln County residents may also eligible for membership scholarships. Those interested should contact Betsy Angelico at 633-8013.To learn more about CMBG’s Summer Camp Club, visit MaineGardens.org or call 207-633-8000.

At nearly 325 acres, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens is the largest public Garden in New England. Voted #1 on TripAdvisor, the nationally recognized public garden is located in Boothbay, Maine. The mission of the Gardens is to inspire meaningful connections among people, plants, and nature through horticulture, education, and research. Visit MaineGardens.org or call 633-8000.